The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-07-02
THE SHAFTS REVENUE.
How the Funds for the support Of Per-
sia's Government Are Obtained.

sia's Government Are Obtained
Persia is relatively rich. for she owes
nothing to bankers or bondholders
either at home or abroad. She has no
debt and the Shah covers snug sum
annually into the treasury as reserve.
1t has been sreeringly said by the Rus
slams, who wish to 5elittle x order to
weaken her. that Persia has no national
debt because she has no credit. The
truth of this assertion can only be ,rov-
ed when the Shah attempts to .'e
loan, which has never yet bee. lone
by the Persian Government. OF course,
if more were spent for internal inn
provement of if there were less specu-
lation. there might be less reserve or
larger revenue. But the fact remains
that while something is done to pro-
mote material progress, something is
still annually saved.
The revenues of the Shah come from
many sources. The land, live stock.
customs, excise and mines and fisher
les furnish the chief sources of revenue.
attended with considerable risk, and
results in not unfrequent riots and
bloodshed.
Regarding some of his revenues tho
Shah very wisely continues to follow a
method common in Europe in former
ages, that is, farming. BY farming the
pearl fisheries, for example, the Shah
may receive less than if the tax on them
could be justly collected and turned
over to his Government But as that
is practically impossible, the Shah
makes sure of given sum on which he
can depend, and leaves it to the agent
who farms them to make his profit
from whatever surplus may accrue.
But while the Shah is advantaged by
the system of farming, the people arc
much more heavily oppressed. as they
are in the hands of the officer who
| farms that revenue. Nominally he may
keep to the letter of the law in collect
ing only such ratio on the products as
the law preseribes. But in reality great
abuses grow out of the greed Of the
| farmer.
The turquoise mines are farmed
They are less productive than formerly.
while the manufacture of excellent
spurious turquoises in Europe ha,
tended somewhat to lower the demand
for the genuine article. The difficulty
of getting the stone is also excessive,
as the mines are growing deeper all the
time and the shafts are very danger
Gus. Many are killed in the Persian
turquoise mines, which are found in
the province of Herman in the South,
but the best ones are mined in Khoras-
san in the North.
The fisheries of Persia are farmed.
They are chiefly in the Caspian Sea
and in the mouth of the rivers empty.
ing into it, and consist chiefly of sal
mon and sturgeon. The lockwood il
the forests adjoining the sea is also
farmed. This has been a considerable
article of commerce, but the supply il
now falling of.
The customs are farmed and form {
very important source of revenue not
withstanding that by the treaty o.
Turkomantchai with Russia, all good
entered from nations enjoying its priv
ileges under the 'most favored ma
ton" clause pay maximum duty o
five per centum. Turkey has an en-
tirely different treaty with Persia which
allows the two countries to claim tel
) per cent duty. Abuses doubtless ex
ist in the collection of customs, espe
cially in the matter of pecslation
But the wonder to me is that under ex
isting circumstances the abuses arr
not greater Land tax also forms |
most important source of revenue.
The nomads of Persia, who numbe
nearly a million, are taxed by a month
, " levy on their flocks, which is mod
crate and collected with regularity
This tax or part of it is farmed. Gen
orally it is raised without difficulty ex
cept among the warlike tribes of tn
Southwest. Among them the tax gath
erer only ventures attended by stron
guard of soldiers.
The Shah adds still further and yer
materially to his revenues by the pres
ents he receives in coin from the hig
4 dignitaries he visits from time to time
and from the sale of important office
g to the highest bidder. Not that h
a awards an office to any one who ovel
y bids others, but to the one who, OF sey
Y eral having ability, adds to talents fc
: the post the largest pecuniary consic
Grafton. What these sums are can
only surmised from general report; br
. that large amounts annually go I'M
J; the Golfers of the Shah in this way is
: fact well assured; indeed it is pra
tice that has existed in Persia for age
IS. G. W Benjamin, IN Philadetph'
Il Press.